What does flautist mean?
A flautist is a person who plays the flute — typically a trained musician who performs orchestral, chamber, or solo repertoire on the instrument. The term carries an air of classical refinement and is most often encountered in reviews of concerts, descriptions of orchestral personnel (such as 'principal flautist'), and biographies of professional musicians. English offers two equally valid spellings: 'flautist', which is standard in Britain and much of the Commonwealth, and 'flutist', which is older and remains the preferred form among many American players and critics. The difference is purely regional convention, not meaning. Interestingly, the British form was adopted in the nineteenth century under the influence of Italian, where the equivalent word is 'flautista'; some English writers have since teased 'flautist' as a slightly affected borrowing. For anyone writing about music, knowing both terms and choosing according to audience is part of using the word well.
nounA person who plays the flute, especially a skilled or professional performer.
- A person who plays the flute, especially professionally or skillfully.
"The principal flautist opened the second movement with a haunting solo."
"She trained for years before winning a place as principal flautist with the symphony orchestra."
"A street flautist entertained passers-by with folk tunes outside the market."
The plural follows the standard '-s' pattern for agent nouns ending in '-ist'.
"The masterclass brought together flautists from a dozen countries."
'Flautist' is really an import: Victorian Britain borrowed it straight from the Italian 'flautista', and Americans have never quite stopped preferring their homegrown 'flutist'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flautist
The word 'flautist' entered English in the nineteenth century, borrowed from the Italian 'flautista', meaning a flute player — itself rooted in 'flauto', the Italian word for flute, which descends from the Provençal and Old French 'flaüt/flahüt' lineage that also gave English the word 'flute'. The rival form 'flutist' had existed since at least the early seventeenth century, derived directly from 'flute', and remained the dominant English term until British taste shifted toward the Italianate 'flautist' during the Victorian era's enthusiasm for continental musical culture. Today the two coexist as regional variants of one meaning.
How flautist is actually used
Both 'flautist' and 'flutist' are correct; 'flautist' predominates in British English while many American musicians and critics favor 'flutist', sometimes considering it the less pretentious option. The word carries a refined, classical-music connotation.
Easily confused with flautist
Flutist and flautist denote the same thing — a flute player — with 'flutist' the older and preferred form in America and 'flautist' more common in Britain.